A Guide to Creating the Perfect at Home Office Space

With the boundaries between the
workplace and home life continuing to blur, now more than ever people are
making the most of ‘working from home’.

For many, this means plenty of
positives including no commuting, a lower carbon footprint, increased
productivity and, often most importantly, the opportunity to enjoy personal
space.

As a bustling community and the first large development in Scotland to secure fibre broadband to home, Chapelton is equipped to support its residents who want to shift their work-life balance and spend more time at home.

Here, we provide our top tips on how to create the perfect at home office space.

Identify an unused area

The first step in creating an
ideal at home office is finding the perfect space. An office doesn’t need to be
large and can be a spare room, the corner of a bedroom or living room or an
unused nook.

Think about where you feel comfortable
but also be conscious of setting boundaries. Without a commute give
consideration to establishing boundaries so that others in the house know not
to interrupt you but also so that when you’re done for the day you can close
the door and leave work behind.

Make the most of small spaces

For those that don’t have an
entire room dedicated to an office, it’s important to think about how to make
the most of even the smallest of spaces.

Console tables can function as a
working place but are often smaller than traditional bulky desks, whilst wall
shelves can provide storage solutions for files, books and technology.

Experiment with ambience

Aspects such as lighting, heat
and sound can all have an impact on productivity levels. Experiment with
different lighting including dimmed lamps and candles, music to set the tone
and temperature.

Background music, which can be as
loud or a soft as you like, is proven to deliver clear work benefits including
improved accuracy and an increase in productivity as well as relaxation.

Tame clutter

Nothing makes a home office look
and feel more cluttered than wires hanging from desks or paperwork scattered
across the room. Invest in storage solutions and cable tidies to create a
minimalist environment which will not only look great but also decrease stress
levels.

Create a routine

One of the negatives of working
from home can often be lack of routine. Without surrounding colleagues it can
be easy to forget time passing by and the importance of coming up for air and
taking regular breaks. By incorporating the below tips you’ll be far more
productive for longer:

Avoid
sitting on sofas and instead use desk space

Stock up
on office supplies to avoid wasting time finding what you need day-to-day

Plan your
working day accordingly, including creating to do lists and scheduling breaks

Turn off
the television and remove anything that will cause distractions

Take
regular breaks, whether it be for lunch, a short walk or a cup of tea

Set
yourself an end of day time to prevent temptation to work into the evening